Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-06-18
THE STATE BOARD OF EXAMINERS
some Criticisms Upon the appointment of
Normal school Men.
T. IL III

some Criticisms Upon the appointment of
Normal school Men.
To ne Editor Of Ne Register
RONSEY, June l5.-By private advices
from Charleston, information has been re-
ceiyed here TO the effect that the Hon. q.
;. Morgan, State Superintendent OF Free
Schools. has exercised his special function
under the late act of the Legislature, and
appointed the State Board of Examiners.
The Board is said 10 consist OF Profs. 5.
3. Brown, Of Chenille; T. f. Hedges, OF
Huntingdon; c. A. Sipe, OF FairmOnt, and
John ID. Sweeney, OF Concord. TheSup-r-
iutendent, believe. Is chairman sT ofici0.
These gentlemen have all the qualilica-
lions necessary to make Gn uneNceptiOn-
able Board. They are scholars. They
are fair-minded men. But there is very
significant circumstance connected with,
these appointments, viz, they are ALI
superintendents Of normal schools.
When it is remembered that the act
under which these appointments were
made, was designed to redress very serl-
Gus grievance, felt most keeDly ~ class
Of men and women, a majority OF whom
we're not graduates from the normal
schools, it win he easy TO see that these
gentleman will be embarrassed by the
consciousness of imaginable suspicion OF
unfairneas and will not be as tree i'll the
discharge of their duties as they ought TO
be. The motive, certainly, will not be
wanting to use their power over the ques-
ton of granting certificates in such way
as TO force an increased attendance at their
schools; and, whilst all who know them
will aeqait them OF being influenced by
such motive, OF any motives but the pur-
est aud most honorable, yet there are
many who will fail before them on exam
nation; and il will not be easy TO
convince them that the failure was
exactly fair. Ii will be felt
aud commented on, that if the unsuceess-
ful candidate would attend one or more
terms az one of the normal schools, and
would offer again, he would not fail. In
deed, il would be the duty of the examin-
ers 10 give Just such advice. The normal
schools are designed FOR that very purpose;
but alas for the policy of such appoint
ments, these four gentlemen are the only
four men who dare not give such whole
some counsel, and whether they give it or
not, they will he exposed to suspicion
enough to blast their regulations and in
lure the influence of the officer who ap
pointed them. The impression is so gen.
eral and natural, and the inference 20 nee
essary, that feeling of delicacy can hardly
fail to lead these distinguished scholars,
educators and Christian gentlemen to de-
cline the ambiguous dignity thus thrust
upon them.
The interests of the cause Of popular in
struction would have been far better sub
served by constituting the board out OF
material actually in the free school ser
vice. Such men a. Miller, Fleming. CragO,
Shields, johnson COrnwell OF HarriSville,
and hosts of others, would have pleased
everybody, and their appointment would
have been a well deserved honor both to
the Superintendent and to themselves.
Il is high time that the men who bear
the 'heat and burden of the day" OF small
salaries, of short terms, OF want of appre-
citation generally, should have recognition.
The illustriOus head OF the Free Schools in